- Mama Models Trip = Awesome! Our trip to Cotonou with Lea and Brigitte, two 4eme girls in my CEG that won a what-do-you-want-to-be essay contest, went well! They stayed with two very successful professional women, who gave them advice and fun presents. Plenty of questions and a day at work later, they came to fancy schmancy fundraising dinner at the American Ambassador's house and helped us raise money for gender and development projects. We made bank, the girls LOVED the outing, and I loved seeing them all proud of what they'd learned!
Lea, Me in full Africa gear, and Brigitte. I swear I told them to smile... The dinner, full of rich ex-pats and delicious food. Good night! Popsicle Got Caught In A Trap. Popsicle, my cat, went out exploring, as he is wont to do. This time, though, it was at night, and he got caught in a trap: the snappy jaws kind, like in the Fox and the Hound (I think). He uprooted the trap, still attached, and ran all the way home, dragging it behind him. L I was in Cotonou, but luckily my neighbor found him and got two men to pry away the jaws, leaving my cat’s foot mangled, bloody and swollen. I got home and thought a) it was broken, and b) he was going to die of infection, but after a teary call to the vet, he’s doing fine. Still a little hobbly, but whining for fish, which is probably a good sign.
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| Poor kitten (see front left paw and his generally miserable expression). |
- End of the Year Meeting. I'm a normal, not-excellent-but-not-bad teacher. A terrifying number of kids didn't pass the whole year (in one 3eme class, only 4 out of 39 kids will move on)... Normal for Benin, but sad. In positives, two of my classes' top grades were by girls, and in one of those classes the top score was a close call between two girls I'm taking to Camp GLOW in 2 weeks. Yay! The meeting itself took 5 hours, and we discussed the proper test-taking format (studiously written by each teacher in a notebook), and sexual harrassment (with the exception of a few of my favorite teachers, the professors took the talk as a giant, hilarious joke. Angering). We survived the meeting, got out of the room, and are now free for 3 months!
- I Got A Cement Wall! For my world map project -- I've been bugging the director since February. Will hopefully get it painted in August, as soon as I have the time and the grant comes through. Stay tuned!
- Other Events: Visited orphans (favorite word in French, by the way: “orphelins”), who were really cute, and gave a test-taking strategies talk to 3eme students about to take the national exams.
Got a New Neighbor… He’s about 55, I think, and a traveling eye doctor. He’ll be living next door for two months, and after introducing himself, he asked about my husband. I told him what I always say, and he responded by pausing, staring at me, stepping a little closer, and saying, “I will become your husband.” At which point I left… reserve final judgment, but I’m not optimistic about this one.- Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay furniture for a great price!
Got a Couch! - Gearing Up for a really crazy next couple of weeks -- excited! This Friday I leave for Natitingou for the National Spelling Bee with Estelle and Soulemane. Come back Sunday and go directly to Camp GLOW with Estelle (same one, she's awesome), Elizabeth, Odette, Flora, Pauline, and Bernadette. A week later I take them back, go to Cotonou to welcome the new stage (yaaaay new volunteers!), then spend a week in village. Mom and Auntie B come for a week! France for a week! New volunteers might visit my house, then taco night in the Mono Couffo region. Then, finally, a break in August... during which I'll paint my world map. Yay stuff to do!
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| My hard-won cement wall. I'll keep you updated! |
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